I am so excited to be joining the dynamic team of amazing women at Zest Infusion. I bring to the team 20 years experience as a Dietitian, with more than 10 of those as a Diabetes Educator. More importantly, I bring a dedication to helping others understand and achieve healthy eating and lifestyle behaviours, as well as a passion for helping people develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food.

For as long as I can remember, I have been aware of the importance of good food and good health. My mother was a Home Economics teacher, so I had an awareness of healthy eating early on in life. She also decorates the most beautiful cakes, and perhaps unsurprisingly, an amazing cake was always a feature of special celebrations. I can still remember trawling through the Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book as a child, considering what I might like for my next birthday. (Some traditions never change – now my daughters do exactly the same thing!) My grandmother was also an amazing home cook, and her shortbread and homemade caramel are the absolute best there are. I treasure these recipes from Nanna, although it is not quite the same without her touch. These women, and the experiences with food that we have shared, have helped form the Dietitian I have become and my approach to healthy eating.

My philosophy is not about exclusion. I whole heartedly believe in adopting eating behaviours for health, wellbeing, and pleasure. Healthy eating is the cornerstone of a healthy body and a healthy life, but food is so much more than fuel for our bodies.  It also plays an integral role in our social and emotional wellbeing.  It is therefore vitally important that food also be enjoyable.

The importance of those three components (health, wellbeing, and pleasure) is essential for everyone, whether we are looking to protect our health or manage an existing condition. When I work with individuals with conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease, my focus is on encouraging the inclusion of healthy, nutritious foods that will protect and help manage the condition, as well as encouraging some experimentation with protective foods that perhaps aren’t regularly consumed.

Living with food allergies and food intolerances can be challenging, especially if multiple foods need to be avoided. In these circumstances, my focus is on helping people make the most of foods that can be included. I also encourage experimentation with interesting, delicious food preparation methods. Did you know that roasted Brussel sprouts taste amazing?

My approach to food and nutrition also allows me to offer a weight neutral approach to health and wellbeing. This embodies the belief that eating for health, wellbeing, and pleasure is important for everyone, any size. A weight neutral approach doesn’t focus on weighing and measuring food, or weighing and measuring your body. It doesn’t focus on food diaries or counting daily energy intake. It definitely doesn’t encourage setting specific weight goals or eating “diet” foods. A weight neutral approach is a more gentle approach that involves building skills and confidence in the body’s ability to know when to eat, how much to eat, and what would be satisfying to eat. In essence, it is about helping people develop and maintain a healthy relationship with food.

Taking all this into consideration, my approach is very individual and personalised. I appreciate that everyone is unique, so ensure that the information and strategies I provide are those that will suit the food preferences, health concerns, and lifestyle of each individual.

If you would like to see how I can help you with developing healthy eating or lifestyle behaviours, or if you would like to know more about the weight neutral approach or developing a healthy relationship with food, please don’t hesitate to book an appointment with me. You can find out how by visiting the on-line booking link on Zest Infusion’s website at www.zestinfusion.com.au